The Dark Prince's Bride (the original version of Will You Love Me?)

Chapter 4

Renee laid in the meadow, her eyes glued to the two stars that she had always felt drawn to, especially when she felt lonely. It must be nice to have someone. The two stars were so close together as though they were dear friends or perhaps lovers. She missed her dragon companion. The king and queen were always busy and her two friends at the castle were too distracted courting each other to pay her much mind. He was the only one who seemed to care enough to listen. And she needed his caring ear now more than ever. Even just getting to lean against him as they watched the stars together would bring her comfort.

She couldn't bear the thought of life without him.

As if summoned by her thoughts he swooped down. He landed in the grass and came nigh to her. Seeing him she ran to where he stood and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I feared I would never see you again. Are you hurt?" She gently stroked his scales.

"Not too badly... but I do not know what the future holds. I do not know if tonight will be the last time we will be together," he looked at her with sadness in his eyes.

"Stay with me then, I will protect you with my very life," she replied.

"These perils were caused by my own doing. I do not wish for you to share my fate, my starlight," he replied.

"There must be something I can do," she whispered.

"There is. I wish only to stay up and watch the stars with you for one more night. I wish to forget the fears of tomorrow for a few hours," he answered.

"Then should I sing you a lullaby so that you may find sleep?"  she asked.

The dragon nodded. "Your voice is like the voice of an angel, it always soothes me."

She sat down near where he was laying and allowed him to lay his head in her lap. She began singing the lullaby her father had sung to her when she was a young girl. It was a song he had written for her in the ancient tongue of the wizards. She gently stroked the soft scales on his muzzle to soothe him to sleep. It didn't take long for the dragon to drift off into a deep slumber.

She held him until she too had fallen asleep, hoping that this wouldn't be the last time they watched the stars together.

~✧~

Dragoth awoke in a dark cell. He was laying on the cold, hard stone floor. He sat up and put his head in his hands. His whole body ached from being beaten by the captain and his men on the way to the castle.

He had been here for several days. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, it was difficult to keep track of time in here. It seemed like an eternity had passed, yet at the same time he felt like time was flying by too fast.

He spent his time at war with himself. Since he had come under the service of Drake he wanted nothing more than to return home to his parents. But now that he was here he wanted nothing more than to go back. Not for Drake, but for his brothers. He worried for them.

Who will protect them when I am gone? Certainly not Drake.

Drake was a cruel man, even to his own men. Dragoth could not bear the thought of his brothers falling to the hands of his evil master in his absence.

He took a shuttering breath. It was likely that he would be sentenced to death and his brothers would be left as orphans all over again. He was afraid to die. Afraid for his brothers, afraid for his mother. And he was afraid to face God after all that he had done. He knew there would be no forgiveness for him. He was lost, beyond any hope of being saved.

Tears stung his eyes as he thought of his mother. Would she forgive herself if she allowed him to be sentenced to death? He doubted it. He knew that she may very well grieve herself to death if he should be killed, she would die of a broken heart. That would be the worst part of his fate, knowing that in the end she would share it.